by Sahan Tennekoon in The Morning online, July 9, 2023
The main Opposition Party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) is to commence an internal inquiry to look into the allegations made by several backbenchers that some of their members in parliament are secretly supporting the agenda of the Government, The Daily Morning learnt.
The move comes following a statement by SJB MP Hirunika Premachandra recently.
Premachandra recently charged that some of the SJB Parliamentarians are currently supporting the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe while in opposition, and called on the opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to take immediate actions against such MPs.
When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (09)on the allegations made by MP Premachandra, the SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara said that the party will soon take a final decision on the membership of the MPs who had previously supported the Government, and the MPs who are a having secret discussions with the President.
“Several backbenchers including Premachandra had informed our Leader that the immediate actions must be taken against the people who are supporting the Government being in the Opposition. Previously, we launched disciplinary actions against several MPs like Diana Gamage who supported the Government by voting in favour of the 29th Amendment and also against Ministers Harin Fernanado and Manusha Nanayakkara, who crossed the floor taking ministerial portfolios. Actions have been taken against Rajitha Senaratne and A.H.M. Fowzie as well. Those are still underway but we hope to reach a final decision in the near future,” he said.
Maddumabandara stressed that SJB would not let anyone cause a group to break away from the party, adding that the SJB has no intention to support this incumbent Government. He also said that if anyone has a problem with the decisions taken by the party, he/she can directly discuss it with the party leadership rather than acting completely differently in the House to what they agreed during the party meetings.
https://www.themorning.lk/articles/ANXNr8K1lrjTZk2cHxcC
